People who argue just to argue and/or be different

[Jaden]

This is a big pet peeve of mine. It really bothers me when people think they're being clever and/or special for going against a common opinion. It's ok to have a differing opinion from the norm. It's not ok to be an ass about it. It's even less ok to be an ass about it and not have any solid reasoning to back up your different opinion, and to act like your lack of a solid argument is still somehow clever.

A close relative of this is creating a pet theory or idea and then arguing for that even when all the evidence points against, while picking out the tiniest bits of something that may in some way slightly resemble the point you're trying to make, and acting like that's proof.

Like I said, it's not the differing opinion that bothers me, it's the lack of grace. Why are people so caustic these days? Why can't you say something like "Well, I understand most people think this way, but this is the way I feel. Here's my reasoning. It's just a differing perspective, no biggie." There are some perspective that are invalid and should be confronted and argued against. These are perspectives like homophobia, racism, and hate. These are not all of the perspectives on everything ever. I just feel like people don't show the proper respect to others anywhere near enough anymore =/

[Ree]

I work with a guy like that.
I often wonder if he seriously has some kind of mental issue.

No matter what the comment, he always has the opposite stance.

If I said I hated school, especially tests, he would say that he loved school and especially tests.

If he is talking about something he has done, and it seems like it was difficult for him, I will say, "Oh wow. That must have been so hard," and he will say, "No, not really," and then go on to tell me how easy it was.

If someone says something won't fit where they need to put it in the warehouse, he will argue that it will fit fine, and vice versa. If they say it will fit, he will fight tooth and nail to prove it won't.

If we are given instructions about a safety issue, he will argue how it's a ridiculous waste of time.

I swear he gets into a disagreement with at least one person each day because of his contrary attitude.

It's absolutely frustrating.

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

I blame the internet for that.

I think that the ability to anonymously troll people who make an opinion is eroding people's ability to actually debate in a face to face situation. That they actually get into the mentality that it's fine to argue like a complete dick in the real world because they can do it all the time on the internet.

[Rageaholic]

Can I get an amen from this?

Seriously, having a different opinion doesn't make someone special or unique. Especially when the opinion they have really isn't that outside the norm. There's this guy in my econ class who think he's some kind of martyr for daring to say he voted for Romney. Dude almost 50% of Americans voted for Romney, you're not special. And to be honest, I don't give a damn who people voted for. I have my opinions, but I know I'm not infalible. It's when people act all stuck up that annoys me.

[bara]

Not including people in Ree's post, but some people are afraid to be wrong. That person in Ree's post sounds like he has some sort of mental problem.

[HYHYBT]

I blame the internet for that.

I think that the ability to anonymously troll people who make an opinion is eroding people's ability to actually debate in a face to face situation. That they actually get into the mentality that it's fine to argue like a complete dick in the real world because they can do it all the time on the internet.

Now that brings up another question: when did "trolling" come to encompass merely expressing and defending a contrary view?

[blas87]

Which version of trolling? Recently, trolling has taken to mean more as "punking" people....granted usually not online. I guess trolling is still strong in the internet sense.

It's not having an unpopular or opposite opinion...it's doing it just to be opposite and to cause friction or problems or just because they get their jollies off of it.

My last boyfriend, the Whiney Bitch, always seemed to have the unpopular opinion or opposite. Not really a problem in itself, but he'd get mad that he was the only one who felt that way about something (for instance, he refused to exercise with me, which is one of my favorite hobbies.....he claimed that any male who works out a lot or goes to a gym is a "muscle bound dickhead"....in reality, it was his insecurity that he's a fap-dungeon trapped geek). And he'd throw up his hands and walk away stomping when people would ask why he felt a certain way or why he felt he had to attract so much attention about having his opinion, but when it came down to it, it was like he was a little kid that was just going to cry and walk away because everyone was so "mean".

Trust me, I've worked with many, many people like that. One in particular was more of a "gold star" person than just a "argue to argue" person, but still.

[Jaden]

Now that brings up another question: when did "trolling" come to encompass merely expressing and defending a contrary view?

This is something else I have a problem with, but I don't see it nearly as often as the problem I expressed in the original topic. The only people who use "trolling" to refer to the mere expression of another viewpoint are, themselves, trolling. I don't think the term, in and of itself, does encompass the mere expression of another viewpoint, just that some idiots use it that way.

[AmbrosiaWriter]

Now that brings up another question: when did "trolling" come to encompass merely expressing and defending a contrary view?

Trolling doesn't encompass that.

Trolling encompasses expressing a viewpoint on a contentious subject that the person knows is not popular and is only doing it to piss people off. They then employ all many of either logical fallacies or just ad hominen attacks to continue pissing people off and laughing at them.

Someone who truly expresses and defends their contrary view without logical fallacy or ad hominen attacks are not trolls.

The problem is that many people on the internet use the term "troll" like people who use the comment "What are you on your period?" toward upset women. They do it to try and discredit and undermine everything the person is saying while retaining their own happy bubble.

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

Now that brings up another question: when did "trolling" come to encompass merely expressing and defending a contrary view?

Forgive me if I gave the impression that I consider anyone who has a contrary point as a troll. Far from it.

If I talk about something I like and list my reasons for liking that thing, someone else comes along and says that they don't like it and gives a list of reasons for not liking something...

...then depending on the situation I'll either get into a discussion and try to match wits and sway the person to see things from my point of view while they likewise do the same (an honest debate) or I'll agree to disagree and move on.

That's not a troll. Neither of us.

But if I say I like something and someone else comes along and calls me a moron for liking that something...that's a troll.

And therein lies the problem. There are far too many people out there who are trolls who do just that. Someone asks "How do I get my iPad to do [function]?" on Yahoo Answers and several dickheads pop up and say "Well dumbass, shouldn't have bought a iPad. Should have gotten an Android tablet." And the reverse is equally true. Ask about an Android and people troll and say "should have bought an iPad dumbass"

So we see fewer and fewer people who actually know how to debate something or else don't want to and are itching to stroke their flamewar boners when they toss a lit match into a volatile situation. And that is increasing and increasing. To the point where it's starting to spread into real world. People who troll and flame in real life.